Method of expanding a transparency insertion slit in a slide frame

ABSTRACT

A slide frame having at least one expansible insertion slit is gripped at its edge portion that is adjacent to the insertion slit and at at least one other portion. At least one portion of the frame is simultaneously or subsequently subjected to a deformation by which the frame portions defining the insertion slit are spaced apart so that the insertion slit is expanded.

United States Patent [1 1 Mundt et al.

[4 1 Apr. 30, 1974 METHOD OF EXPANDING A TRANSPARENCY INSERTION SLIT INA SLIDE FRAME [75] Inventors: Peter Hans Ernst Mundt, GarmischPartenkirchen; Otfried Urban, Kochel am See; Arnold Neuhold, GarmischPartenkirchen, all of Germany [73] Assignee: Geimuplast Peter Mundt KG,

Farchant, Germany 22 Filed: Nov. 20, 1970 [21 Appl. No.: 91,509

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 764,469, Oct. 2,1968, Pat. No.

[52] US. Cl 53/23, 53/123, 53/381 R [51] Int. Cl B65b 17/00, B65b 63/00[58] Field of Search 53/23, 35, 50, 123, 250,

[56] 0 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,521,423 7/1970 Koeppe etal 53/23 3,530,608 9/1970 Sovia 40/159 Primary Examiner-Roy LakeAssistant Examiner-Neil Abrams Attorney, Agent, or FirmFleit, Gipple &Jacobson ABSTRACT A slide frame having at least one expansible insertionslit is gripped at its edge portion that is adjacent to the insertionslit and at at least one other portion. At least one portion of theframe is simultaneously or subsequently subjected to a deformation bywhich the frame portions defining the insertion slit are spaced apart sothat the insertion slit is expanded.

8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures METHOD OF EXPANDING A TRANSPARENCYINSERTION SLIT IN A SLIDE FRAME CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONThis application is a division of Ser. No. 764,469, filed Oct. 2, 1968,now US. Pat. No. 3,614,854.

This invention relates to a method of expanding a transparency insertionslit in a slide frame having at least one expansible insertion slit.

The known methods and apparatus for inserting a transparency into aslide frame are complicated and expensive in manufacture and operationbecause the transparency must be inserted before the two frame parts arejoined.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus forinserting a transparency into a resiliently expansible insertion slit ofa slide frame having two parts which have previously been joined.

In a method of the kind defined initially this object is accomplishedaccording to the invention in that the frame is gripped at its edgeportion that is adjacent to the insertion slit and at at least one otherportion, and at least one portion of the frame is simultaneously orsubsequently subjected to a deformation by which the frame portionsdefining the insertion slit are spaced apart so that the insertion slitis expanded. The method according to the invention affords the advantagethat the transparency can be inserted into a frame which is ready foruse so that the mounting operation is much simplified and reduced inexpense.

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for mountinga transparency into a slide frame, either by hand or by machine. Thepresent invention has been designed for use with the invention disclosedand claimed in prior application Ser. No. 618,684, filed Feb. 27, 1967,for Process and Apparatus for Mounting Transparencies by the applicantsherein, now US. Pat. No. 3,524,299.

The apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention byhand is characterized by two noses, which overlie frame edge portionsthat are disposed laterally of the path on which the transparency is tobe inserted, a ramp which is spaced from said noses, and an aperture,which has approximately the same size and form as the picture apertureof the frame and through which the transparency can be gripped. Withthat end of the slide frame ahead which is nearest to the insertionslit, the slide frame is inserted into the apparatus so that the twonoses overlie those frame edge portions which are disposed laterally ofthe transparency insertion path. The underside of the frame then engagesthe ramp which is spaced from the noses. Thereafter, the rear portion ofthe frame is depressed towards the apparatus so that the transparencyinsertion slit defined by the two frame halves is expanded. Thetransparency can now be gripped through the aperture and can then bemoved into or out of the frame.

The invention provides also a frame which is adapted to be expanded byan apparatus according to the invention. That frame is characterizedaccording to the invention in that one frame half is provided with aclosed peripheral edge portion, in which the other frame half,constituting a cover, is embedded, and the joint between the two framehalves ends at least on one side at a distance from an end edge. Thecover has preferably at its end an indentation so that the transparencyinsertion slit is enlarged.

It will be understood that other frames may also be manually expanded onthe apparatus according to the invention. For instance, the cover partof the frame may be much smaller in size than the other frame part, inwhich the cover part is embedded. In other words, the aperture in thelarger frame part, which receives the cover on two opposite sides, maybe-only slightly larger than the aperture which has approximately thesame size and form as the picture aperture of the frame whereas theother pair of opposite side edge portions of the cover are parallel tothe other frame part on a larger area and the insertion slit is definedon one side by the cover and the other frame part and is expanded by themethod according to the invention.

The apparatus according to the invention for carrying out the methodaccording to the invention by machine is characterized in that twoopposite guide bars for a transparency are provided, a slide trackgroove for one frame part is provided below each of said bars, one ofsaid bars is formed with an indentation which is disposed adjacent tothe transparency-inserting station of the mounting machine, and adeforming element is provided adjacent to the indentation of said oneguide bar. The deforming element may consist of a bar, which rests onthe bottom of the slide track and which is bevelled in a direction thatis opposite to the feeding direction of the frame. Alternatively, thebar may be recessed into the bottom of the slide track and may beadapted to be raised above the bottom in a vertical plane. Finally, thedeforming element may consist of a bevel formed in the bottom of theslide track. In a modification of the apparatus according to theinvention, that guide bar which has no indentation is replaced by ahook, which is movable in a vertical plane.

Various embodiments of the invention will be described hereinafter byway of example with reference to the drawing, in which FIG. 1 is aperspective view showing the apparatus which is provided according tothe invention for carrying out the method according to the invention byhand, without a slide frame. 7

FIG. 2 shows the same apparatus provided with a frame.

FIGS. 3 to 10 show apparatus for carrying out the method according tothe invention by machine.

FIGS. 3-5 are perspective views showing three different embodiments,

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a mounting machineprovided with an apparatus according to the invention,

FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiment in FIG. 7 before and in FIG. 8during the expansion of the frame, and

FIGS. 9 and 10 show a further embodiment in FIG. 9 before and in FIG. 10during the expansion.

The apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention byhand comprises two noses l, 2. As is apparent from FIG. 2, these nosescan overlie those frame edge portions of one frame half 4 of a slideframe 5 which are laterally disposed of the path for the insertion of atransparency 3. A ramp 6 is spaced from said noses 1, 2. As is apparentfrom FIG. 1, the ramp 6 comprises a rearwardly and upwardly inclinedsurface, which precedes the noses l, 2 and is at least as wide as theframe 5, and bars 7, 8, 7', 8', which succeed said surface and arcuatelymerge from the same into a horizontal plane. The bars 7, 7' and 8, 8 areinterconnected at the rear by cross-bars 9, 10. All bars are joined in aU-shaped configuration by a common bottom 11.

The dimensions of the apparatus are approximately the same as those ofthe transparency frame which has an insertion slit that is to beexpanded on the apparatus. In the frame shown in FIG. 2, one frame half4 is provided with a closed peripheral edge portion 12 and the otherframe half 13, constituting a cover, is embedded in said frame. The twoframe halves 4, 13 are joined by ultrasonic welding. At least at thatend of the frame at which the transparency 3 is to be inserted, the endof the resulting joint is spaced from the associated end edge of oneframe half by a distance which is readily apparent from FIG. 2. Thecover 13 is provided at its end with an indentation 14.

When it is desired to expand the frame by hand, the closed peripheraledge portion 12 of one frame half 4 at one end thereof is placed underthe noses 1, 2. The slide frame then contacts the ramp 6 and extendsangularly in the apparatus. When that part of the frame which isapparent from FIG. 2 and opposite to the insertion slit is caused toengage the bars 7, 7', 8, 8, 9, l0, the cover 13 will be detached fromthe other frame half 4, as is apparent from FIG. 2, and the transparency3 can now be moved into or out of the frame by hand without risk ofscratching the picture portion of the transparency. The transparency 3can be moved out of the frame 5 through the aperture 15, which has thesame size and form as the picture aperture of the frame.

The various apparatus shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 for carrying out the methodaccording to the invention by machine have all two opposite guide bars16, 17 or 16, 17 or 16", 17. A slide track groove l8, 19 or 18, 19' or18', 19" for one frame part 20 is disposed below each guide bar.Adjacent to the station where the film 21 is inserted in the mountingmachine, which station is particularly apparent from FIGS. 3 and 6, oneguide bar 16 or 16' or 16" has an indentation 22, 22' or 22" tofacilitate the insertion of the transparency film 21 into the frame 24consisting of the parts 20, 23. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, a bar 26disposed at the bottom of the slide track is provided adjacent to theindentation 22, 22' or 22" and is bevelled at 27 in a direction which isopposite to the feeding direction of the frame.

It will be described hereinafter how the method according to theinvention is carried out on the apparatus according to FIG. 3. Tofacilitate the understanding, reference is also made to the diagram ofFIG. 6 illustrating the operation of a mounting machine, which has beendescribed in the above-mentioned prior application. The frames to beprovided with transparencies are stacked at 28 and are fed by means of apusher in the direction of the arrows 29, 29, 29" to enter the insertingstation of the mounting machine. The frame 30 is disposed in thatstation. At this time, the transparency is still a portion of theintegral film strip 21 and is fed in the direction of the arrow 31. Inthis embodiment, the insertion station is also the severing station,where a severing knife 33 is provided, which is pivotally movable abouta shaft 32. The severed transparency 34 is gripped by a diagrammaticallyshown gripper 35, which is movable in the direction of the double arrow36 to pullthe transparency 34 entirely into the frame 30 through theindentation 22, which is apparent from FIG. 3. The gripper 35 issubsequently returned to its initial position in order to subsequentlyinsert the next transparency severed from the'film strip 21. The frame30 containing the transparency is fed'in the direction of the arrow 29"into the station 37, from which the frames containing the transparenciescan be removed and can subsequently be despatched.

It is readily apparent from FIG. 3 that the frame moving from thestacking station to the inserting and severing station is riding up onthe inclined ramp 27 of the bar 26. The frame moving through themounting machine is thus gripped-at two opposite edge portions by theguide bars 16, 17. The bar 26 subjects the frame 24 or 30 to adeformation by which the frame portions 20, 23 defining the insertionslit are spaced apart and the insertion slit is expanded so that thetransparency 34 or the film strip 21 can be inserted into the frame.This is particularly apparent from FIG. 6.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 4 differs from that shown in FIG. 3 only inthat the bottom 25 rather than the bar 26 is bevelled toward theindentation 22' so that the slide track groove 18 of the guide bar 16 ison a lower level adjacent to the bevel 38 than the opposite slide trackgroove 19 of the buide bar 17. It will be understood that a transparencyframe being fed in the slide track in accordance with the diagram ofFIG. 6 is gripped at its edge portion which is adjacent to the insertionslit and at its opposite edge portion, and a frame part whichcorresponds to the frame part 20 in FIG. 4 is simultaneously subjectedto a deformation such as is apparent from FIG. 8, which will beexplained hereinafter. Thus, the frame portions which define theinsertion slit are spaced apart by a distance shown also in FIG. 8 andthe insertion slit is expanded.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 5 differs from that shown in FIG. 4 only inthat the bottom 25 has a bevel 39 in the opposite direction so that theslide track groove 19" of the guide bar 17" is on a lower level than theslide track groove 18" of the guide bar 16". This apparatus can also beused to carry out the method according to the invention.

The apparatus shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 differs from the apparatus shown inFIG. 4 only in that the stationary guide bar 17 is replaced by a hook41, which is movable in a vertical plane indicated by the arrow'40. Whenthe hook 41 is moved from its position in FIG. 7 to that shown in FIG.8, the frame is gripped at its edge portion adjacent to the insertionslit and at its opposite edge portion and the embedding frame portion issubjected to adeformation by a bevel 42 of the bottom 43 of the slidetrack so that the frame portions 45, 46 defining the insertion slit arespaced apart by a distance 44 shown in FIG. 8 and the insertion slit isexpanded for the insertion of the transparency 47 without risk ofscratching.

The apparatus shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 differs from that shown in FIG. 3in that a bar 49 is recessed in the bottom 48 of the slide track and ismovable in a vertical plane in the direction of the arrows 50 and 51 sothat the bar can be raised above the bottom 48 of the slide track, as isshown in FIG. 10. It is readily apparent from the drawing that thisapparatus can also be used to carry out the method according to theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for mounting a transparency into a slide frame havingtwo frame parts which on deformation will separate to form an insertionopening for said transparency, said apparatus comprising two opposedguide bars, a slide track groove for one of said frame parts providedbelow each of said guide bars, a slide track connecting said slide trackgrooves, and a bar positioned in the path of said slide frame and slopedtowards the slide track in a direction that is opposite to the feedingdirection of said slide frame so that when said slide frame is fed insaid slide track grooves said frame parts are separated to form saidinsertion opening.

2. An apparatus for mounting a transparency into a slide frame havingtwo frame parts which on deformation will separate to form an insertionopening for said transparency, said apparatus comprising two opposedguide bars, a slide track groove for one of said frame parts providedbelow each of said guide bars, a slide track connecting said slide trackgrooves, and a bar recessed in the bottom of said slide track andadapted to be raised above said bottom in a vertical plane so that whensaid slide frame is fed in said slide track grooves said frame parts canbe separated to form said insertion opening.

3. An apparatus for mounting a transparency into a slide frame havingtwo frame parts which on deformation will separate to form an insertionopening for said transparency, said apparatus comprising two opposedguide bars, a slide track groove for one of said frame parts providedbelow each of said guide bars, and a slide track connecting said slidetrack grooves, one of said slide track grooves being at a lower levelthan the other groove so that when said slide frame is fed in said slidetrack grooves said frame parts are separated to form said insertionopening.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which one of said guide bars is a hookwhich is movable in a vertical plane for facilitating said separation ofsaid frame parts to form said insertion opening.

5. A method of mounting a transparency into a slide frame having twoframe parts which on deformation will separate to form an insertionopening for said transparency, comprising the steps of feeding saidframe in a slide track groove provided below each of two opposed guidebars to a mounting station, deforming said slide frame by positioning abar'in the path of said slide frame which is sloped towards a slidetrack connecting said slide track grooves in a direction that isopposite to the feeding direction of said slide frame so that when saidslide frame is fed in said slide track grooves said frame parts areseparated to form said insertion opening, feeding said transparencywhile still an integral portion of a film strip into said mountingstation, severing said transparency from said film strip in saidmounting station, gripping said severed transparency and moving it intosaid frame while said frame is subjected to said deformation and whilesaid frame parts are separated to form said insertion opening for saidtransparency.

6. A method of mounting a transparency into a slide frame having twoframe parts which on deformation will separate to form an insertionopening for said transparency, comprising the steps of feeding saidframe in a slide track groove provided below each of two opposed guidebars to a mounting station, deforming said slide frame by positioning abar in a recess in the bottom of a slide track connecting said slidetrack grooves and raising said bar above said bottom in a vertical planewhen said slide frame is fed in said slide track grooves so that saidframe parts are separated to form said insertion opening, feeding saidtransparency while still an integral portion of a film strip into saidmounting station, severing said transparency from said film strip insaid mounting station, gripping said severed transparency and moving itinto said frame while said frame is subjected to said deformation andwhile said frame parts are separated to form said insertion opening forsaid transparency.

7. A method of mounting a transparency into a slide frame having twoframe parts which on deformation will separate to form an insertionopening for said transparency, comprising the steps of feeding saidframe in a slide track groove provided below each of two opposed guidebars to a mounting station, deforming said slide frame by positioningone of said slide track grooves at a lower level than the other grooveso that when said slide frame is fed in said slide track grooves, saidframe parts are separated to form said insertion opening, feeding saidtransparency while still an integral portion of a film strip into saidmounting station, severing said transparency from said film strip insaid mounting station, gripping said severed transparency and moving itinto said frame while said frame is subjected to said deformation andwhile said frame parts are separated to form said insertion opening forsaid transparency.

8. The method of claim 7 in which said deformation is caused by movingone of said guide bars in a vertical plane relative to the other of saidguide bars when said slide frame is fed in said slide track grooves tosaid mounting station.

1. An apparatus for mounting a transparency into a slide frame havingtwo frame parts which on deformation will separate to form an insertionopening for said transparency, said apparatus comprising two opposedguide bars, a slide track groove for one of said frame parts providedbelow each of said guide bars, a slide track connecting said slide trackgrooves, and a bar positioned in the path of said slide frame and slopedtowards the slide track in a direction that is opposite to the feedingdirection of said slide frame so that when said slide frame is fed insaid slide track grooves said frame parts are separated to form saidinsertion opening.
 2. An apparatus for mounting a transparency into aslide frame having two frame parts which on deformation will separate toform an insertion opening for said transparency, said apparatuscomprising two opposed guide bars, a slide track groove for one of saidframe parts provided below each of said guide bars, a slide trackconnecting said slide track grooves, and a bar recessed in the bottom ofsaid slide track and adapted to be raised above said bottom in avertical plane so that when said slIde frame is fed in said slide trackgrooves said frame parts can be separated to form said insertionopening.
 3. An apparatus for mounting a transparency into a slide framehaving two frame parts which on deformation will separate to form aninsertion opening for said transparency, said apparatus comprising twoopposed guide bars, a slide track groove for one of said frame partsprovided below each of said guide bars, and a slide track connectingsaid slide track grooves, one of said slide track grooves being at alower level than the other groove so that when said slide frame is fedin said slide track grooves said frame parts are separated to form saidinsertion opening.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which one of saidguide bars is a hook which is movable in a vertical plane forfacilitating said separation of said frame parts to form said insertionopening.
 5. A method of mounting a transparency into a slide framehaving two frame parts which on deformation will separate to form aninsertion opening for said transparency, comprising the steps of feedingsaid frame in a slide track groove provided below each of two opposedguide bars to a mounting station, deforming said slide frame bypositioning a bar in the path of said slide frame which is slopedtowards a slide track connecting said slide track grooves in a directionthat is opposite to the feeding direction of said slide frame so thatwhen said slide frame is fed in said slide track grooves said frameparts are separated to form said insertion opening, feeding saidtransparency while still an integral portion of a film strip into saidmounting station, severing said transparency from said film strip insaid mounting station, gripping said severed transparency and moving itinto said frame while said frame is subjected to said deformation andwhile said frame parts are separated to form said insertion opening forsaid transparency.
 6. A method of mounting a transparency into a slideframe having two frame parts which on deformation will separate to forman insertion opening for said transparency, comprising the steps offeeding said frame in a slide track groove provided below each of twoopposed guide bars to a mounting station, deforming said slide frame bypositioning a bar in a recess in the bottom of a slide track connectingsaid slide track grooves and raising said bar above said bottom in avertical plane when said slide frame is fed in said slide track groovesso that said frame parts are separated to form said insertion opening,feeding said transparency while still an integral portion of a filmstrip into said mounting station, severing said transparency from saidfilm strip in said mounting station, gripping said severed transparencyand moving it into said frame while said frame is subjected to saiddeformation and while said frame parts are separated to form saidinsertion opening for said transparency.
 7. A method of mounting atransparency into a slide frame having two frame parts which ondeformation will separate to form an insertion opening for saidtransparency, comprising the steps of feeding said frame in a slidetrack groove provided below each of two opposed guide bars to a mountingstation, deforming said slide frame by positioning one of said slidetrack grooves at a lower level than the other groove so that when saidslide frame is fed in said slide track grooves, said frame parts areseparated to form said insertion opening, feeding said transparencywhile still an integral portion of a film strip into said mountingstation, severing said transparency from said film strip in saidmounting station, gripping said severed transparency and moving it intosaid frame while said frame is subjected to said deformation and whilesaid frame parts are separated to form said insertion opening for saidtransparency.
 8. The method of claim 7 in which said deformation iscaused by moving one of said guide bars in a vertical plane relative tothe other of said guide bars whEn said slide frame is fed in said slidetrack grooves to said mounting station.